Ian Schreiber
@ianschreiber.bsky.social
Game designer, educator, parent.
Today's indie game: Strange Jigsaws (store.steampowered.com/app/2702170/...). The creator of 20 Small Mazes (which is exactly what it says in the name, 20 weird variants of mazes) follows up with this, a similar variant on jigsaw puzzles. This game is larger and more ambitious than its predecessor.
Strange Jigsaws on Steam
A game of strange jigsaws.
store.steampowered.com
November 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Today's indie game: Strange Jigsaws (store.steampowered.com/app/2702170/...). The creator of 20 Small Mazes (which is exactly what it says in the name, 20 weird variants of mazes) follows up with this, a similar variant on jigsaw puzzles. This game is larger and more ambitious than its predecessor.
Today's indie game: Sol Cesto (store.steampowered.com/app/2738490/...). Falls into the same bucket as 868-HACK and Imbroglio, which are... *looks it up*... omg they call these Broughlikes? That has got to be the worst genre name ever. Anyway, if you like systems and output randomness, take a look.
Sol Cesto on Steam
Sol Cesto is a tactical and frantic roguelite where mastering your luck is key. Choose a hero, upgrade them using cursed teeth and magical items, and descend to the bottom of an ever-changing dungeon....
store.steampowered.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Today's indie game: Sol Cesto (store.steampowered.com/app/2738490/...). Falls into the same bucket as 868-HACK and Imbroglio, which are... *looks it up*... omg they call these Broughlikes? That has got to be the worst genre name ever. Anyway, if you like systems and output randomness, take a look.
Today's indie game: Drop Duchy (store.steampowered.com/app/2525310/...). I know what you're thinking: you wish there were a Slay-the-Spire-like where the core mechanic is Tetris crosseed with Carcassonne. Okay, no you weren't, but that's what this is and it works better than it has any reason to.
Drop Duchy on Steam
Build your duchy piece by piece in this refreshing hybrid rogue-lite game. Use block-dropping mechanics to collect resources, recruit troops to fight against belligerent armies, and let every block sh...
store.steampowered.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Today's indie game: Drop Duchy (store.steampowered.com/app/2525310/...). I know what you're thinking: you wish there were a Slay-the-Spire-like where the core mechanic is Tetris crosseed with Carcassonne. Okay, no you weren't, but that's what this is and it works better than it has any reason to.
One IGF-entered game per day that I found interesting. Today: Baby Steps (www.babystepsgame.com). This is what happens when Bennett Foddy gets actual funding and that's all you need to know. Come for the pratfalls, stay for the brilliant dialogue. Try it co-op with one on mouse and one on keyboard.
Baby Steps
Explore a world shrouded in mist, one step at a time. Hike the serene mountains by placing each footstep yourself, in original physics-based gameplay from the minds behind Ape Out and Getting Over It.
www.babystepsgame.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:14 PM
One IGF-entered game per day that I found interesting. Today: Baby Steps (www.babystepsgame.com). This is what happens when Bennett Foddy gets actual funding and that's all you need to know. Come for the pratfalls, stay for the brilliant dialogue. Try it co-op with one on mouse and one on keyboard.
I present these games in no particular order. Today's indie game: BALL X PIT (www.ballxpit.com). Ball-breaker mobile game w/Vampire Survivor-like progression and Loop Hero-style base-building meta. Yeah, it's a pure dopamine compulsion loop, but a very well-executed one.
BALL x PIT
BALL x PIT is a brick-breaking, ball-fusing, base-building survival roguelite. Batter hordes of enemies with ricocheting balls and gather the riches of the pit to expand your homestead, generate resou...
www.ballxpit.com
November 12, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I present these games in no particular order. Today's indie game: BALL X PIT (www.ballxpit.com). Ball-breaker mobile game w/Vampire Survivor-like progression and Loop Hero-style base-building meta. Yeah, it's a pure dopamine compulsion loop, but a very well-executed one.
For those just joining, my game recs do not automatically mean "go out and buy this now" - they are not necessarily GOOD but are at least INTERESTING to some people. I try to specify who would be interested in each game - but a lot of these are niche so these might not be for you (and that's ok!).
November 12, 2025 at 4:06 PM
For those just joining, my game recs do not automatically mean "go out and buy this now" - they are not necessarily GOOD but are at least INTERESTING to some people. I try to specify who would be interested in each game - but a lot of these are niche so these might not be for you (and that's ok!).
Took an unintended hiatus from Bluesky over the last few weeks as it was IGF judging season so I was busy playing dozens of indie games. I return to... a lot of new followers (hi everyone!) and I come bearing a ton of indie game recs. As usual I'll do one per day from this year's IGF until I run out
November 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Took an unintended hiatus from Bluesky over the last few weeks as it was IGF judging season so I was busy playing dozens of indie games. I return to... a lot of new followers (hi everyone!) and I come bearing a ton of indie game recs. As usual I'll do one per day from this year's IGF until I run out
I bet Silksong is really popular among professional programmers. It's a game about repeatedly bashing your face into a wall in pursuit of the goal of getting rid of bugs.
October 4, 2025 at 2:28 AM
I bet Silksong is really popular among professional programmers. It's a game about repeatedly bashing your face into a wall in pursuit of the goal of getting rid of bugs.
Had this idea, looked it up, was surprised no one had done it before. My photoshop skills aren't the best but someone had to, so I give you... Hollow Kitty. You're welcome.
September 22, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Had this idea, looked it up, was surprised no one had done it before. My photoshop skills aren't the best but someone had to, so I give you... Hollow Kitty. You're welcome.
I don't know how to explain this scientifically but the sound that you get from playing a song on a cheap plastic kazoo is the audio equivalent of sticking googly-eyes on something.
August 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM
I don't know how to explain this scientifically but the sound that you get from playing a song on a cheap plastic kazoo is the audio equivalent of sticking googly-eyes on something.
This would do a few things. It might force legit journals to get more serious about supporting reviewers. It would call out the danger of a publish-or-perish environment that pushes faculty to "cheat" on their pub count like this. Could help prevent people building on poor-quality papers. (3/3)
August 1, 2025 at 11:11 PM
This would do a few things. It might force legit journals to get more serious about supporting reviewers. It would call out the danger of a publish-or-perish environment that pushes faculty to "cheat" on their pub count like this. Could help prevent people building on poor-quality papers. (3/3)
2. Flag papers with hallucinated refs and check further to see if they look like the entire thing was AI-generated.
3. Write a paper on prevalence of AI-generated papers in your field, naming which journals were the worst offenders at letting these slip past peer review. (2/3)
3. Write a paper on prevalence of AI-generated papers in your field, naming which journals were the worst offenders at letting these slip past peer review. (2/3)
August 1, 2025 at 11:11 PM
2. Flag papers with hallucinated refs and check further to see if they look like the entire thing was AI-generated.
3. Write a paper on prevalence of AI-generated papers in your field, naming which journals were the worst offenders at letting these slip past peer review. (2/3)
3. Write a paper on prevalence of AI-generated papers in your field, naming which journals were the worst offenders at letting these slip past peer review. (2/3)
Are you an academic at a publish-or-perish institution? Here's a strat for you to get easy bonus publications.
1. Grab some journals in your field. Hand off to an AI (or student, if you're lucky enough to have funding) and have it check references in each published paper to see if they exist (1/3)
1. Grab some journals in your field. Hand off to an AI (or student, if you're lucky enough to have funding) and have it check references in each published paper to see if they exist (1/3)
August 1, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Are you an academic at a publish-or-perish institution? Here's a strat for you to get easy bonus publications.
1. Grab some journals in your field. Hand off to an AI (or student, if you're lucky enough to have funding) and have it check references in each published paper to see if they exist (1/3)
1. Grab some journals in your field. Hand off to an AI (or student, if you're lucky enough to have funding) and have it check references in each published paper to see if they exist (1/3)
I don't post much about current projects (NDA and all) but currently working on a murder mystery / crime drama game so if any of you are big fans of murder mystery novels or Law&Order shows, public beta signup is here: www.wolfgames.net/publiceye
July 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I don't post much about current projects (NDA and all) but currently working on a murder mystery / crime drama game so if any of you are big fans of murder mystery novels or Law&Order shows, public beta signup is here: www.wolfgames.net/publiceye
For guys looking for a manic pixie dream girl, they should remember that opposites attract so they should work on their depressed goblin nightmare boy persona.
July 21, 2025 at 3:21 AM
For guys looking for a manic pixie dream girl, they should remember that opposites attract so they should work on their depressed goblin nightmare boy persona.
95% of Leads and mentors in the videogame industry:
July 18, 2025 at 11:30 PM
95% of Leads and mentors in the videogame industry:
Any voice actors in the house? docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
July 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Any voice actors in the house? docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
From now on will be referring to the movie Jaws as "Jurassic Shark."
July 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
From now on will be referring to the movie Jaws as "Jurassic Shark."
GDC submissions opening early this year - and notably, summit submissions happen at the same time, it's all one round, all talks due Aug 7. gdconf.com/call-for-sub...
Call for Submissions | Game Developers Conference
Submit talks for GDC Core, GDC Summits, and Game Career Seminar.
gdconf.com
July 7, 2025 at 8:29 PM
GDC submissions opening early this year - and notably, summit submissions happen at the same time, it's all one round, all talks due Aug 7. gdconf.com/call-for-sub...
Welp, that's enough reading email for today.
July 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Welp, that's enough reading email for today.
Just made this to explain the string section of an orchestral score to gamers. You're welcome.
June 30, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Just made this to explain the string section of an orchestral score to gamers. You're welcome.
Just realized that one way of putting it is that Prometheus was the first ever de-liver-y boy.
May 31, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Just realized that one way of putting it is that Prometheus was the first ever de-liver-y boy.
Just once instead of "Final Fantasy" with a number after it I'd like them to use the other popular naming convention, Fantasy_Final_FINAL_NoReallyThisOne_IMeanItThisTime(17).exe
May 11, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Just once instead of "Final Fantasy" with a number after it I'd like them to use the other popular naming convention, Fantasy_Final_FINAL_NoReallyThisOne_IMeanItThisTime(17).exe
Every time I see a Cybertruck, I just think... I've seen enough low-poly work to wonder if there's no floor or seats inside because that is absolutely what would have happened if it were on PS2 with a 40-poly budget.
May 3, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Every time I see a Cybertruck, I just think... I've seen enough low-poly work to wonder if there's no floor or seats inside because that is absolutely what would have happened if it were on PS2 with a 40-poly budget.
The existence of emotional support animals implies the existence of emotional tank and emotional dps animals.
May 2, 2025 at 10:13 PM
The existence of emotional support animals implies the existence of emotional tank and emotional dps animals.